Drive-Thru Coffee Burn Case: It Isn’t Just the Temperature

A drive-thru coffee burn case can involve much more than the temperature of the coffee.

When hot coffee spills inside a vehicle, the customer may have little room to react. The liquid can spill onto the torso, lap, or legs. Clothing may also hold the hot liquid against the skin and increase exposure.

Serious burns can happen quickly.

But what caused the spill in the first place?

Drive-Thru Coffee Burn Case: Look Beyond Temperature

People order hot coffee because they expect it to be hot.

Restaurants warn customers that the contents are hot. Customers generally understand that hot coffee can burn them.

So, the temperature may not tell the entire story.

In a drive-thru coffee burn case, the cup, lid, and handoff may be just as important.

Was the lid fully seated?

Was the lid compatible with the cup?

Was the cup damaged?

Was the beverage overfilled?

How was the cup handed to the customer?

These questions can help explain why hot coffee reached the customer.

Coffee Cups and Lids Matter

A disposable coffee cup is a system.

The cup must hold the beverage. The lid must fit the cup. The lid should also be properly seated before the drink reaches the customer.

Employees should understand how to prepare and handle hot beverages.

Management should provide training and procedures. In addition, problems involving cups, lids, and hot beverage handling should be addressed.

Restaurant Expert Witness Analysis

A restaurant expert witness evaluating a drive-thru coffee burn may examine the cup and lid, employee training, handoff procedures, incident reports, management practices, and restaurant industry standards.

The analysis should not stop with one question:

How hot was the coffee?

Another question may be just as important:

Why did it spill?

A drive-thru coffee burn case can happen in seconds. However, the operational conditions that led to the spill may have existed long before the customer reached the drive-thru window.

When evaluating a hot coffee burn, look beyond the temperature.

Look at the cup. Look at the lid. Look at the handoff.